By now, I’m sure nobody is stranger to the quarantine life. For some people, this quarantine makes little to no difference in your work and life. For others, myself included, this “new normal” has added another job title to my list and of course, changes my day to day.

I’m thankful to still be able to work from home (I have a software engineer job besides blogging) through all of the craziness. And Lucy isn’t at the age that needs me to also homeschool her. Which I know I have it easier than some other parents out there.

If you are on a similar situation, struggling to find your “new normal” and adjust to quarantine life, here are some tips I’ve found helpful to keep myself sane and reduce the stress and anxiety.

Note: I also just wanted to say that these are only here to give you suggestions. I’m no mean saying you have to do this, or don’t do that. Ultimately, do what feels right for you and your family!

Have a morning and an evening routine for yourself and your little one (at around the same time)

With all that is going on, working and staying home with young children add more responsibilities, more stress and anxiety. Some days, my anxiety is high, a simple task like getting out of bed is difficult. Then in the evening, with all the things on the to-do list and thoughts on my mind, it’s hard to wind down and go to bed. My sleep schedule easily becomes so terrible. And once my body doesn’t get the proper rest, it causes even worse stress.

So I find that the keeping a morning and evening routine, even though hard to do, during this time is so important. Try to practice the morning and bed time routines at around the same time every day. So your body and mind have a chance to be at ease with the rhythm and know what to expect, amid all the chaos.

It also helps to have your little one in his/her routines as well. Just because he/she isn’t going to child care, doesn’t mean they can stay up late and wake up late. Having them in their routines will help you keep yours.

Do get dressed for the day, and dress your little one too

Whether it’s comfy loungewear or a more put together outfit. Whatever that makes you comfortable and feel good. I tend to switch it up. Some days are rainy and overcast and a sweater with cozy soft joggers feel right. Some days the sun is shining and I want to put on a pretty and bright dress.

Whatever outfit it is, I make an effort to change out of my sleepwear and into a day time outfit. Working from home makes it too easy to just roll out of bed in PJs, and into the office in the same clothes. Then wear it all day and night till the next time you shower. I have to admit I’m guilty of doing it before because it’s easy. But when I put on a fresh outfit for the day, I feel much better! And no surprise Lucy gets into this pattern and asks me to change out of her jammies and into her day time outfit.

Put on your fresh clean clothes and take on the day! It’s programmed in our mind no matter how young that it’s a new day, and therefore we need a fresh outfit.

It’s totally okay to give your child an electronic device!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. If your day is filled with meetings or you need some focus time to concentrate on a task, and there’s no activity or toys that can keep your child occupied more than 20 seconds, don’t feel bad if you turn on YouTube. Or give her an iPad game.

My husband’s job was considered essential up until last week, so he was not at home with us. I was home with Lucy and working. Sometimes when I really needed a moment of silence, I gave her an iPad to watch her kid shows. And at the end of the day, we gotta do what we gotta do. Don’t ever feel bad if you have to hand your kid an electronic device in this situation!

Do at least one thing for yourself each day

It’s so important to take care of yourself. All the time. And especially now in this situation. For some during this quarantine, time isn’t issue. But for working moms with children at home, time is even more limited than ever. But you can’t stop taking care of yourself. Whatever it is that defines self love for you, do at least one of them a day. And you can even change it up tomorrow.

Some days, doing my hair and putting on make up is what I need to feel put together. Some days, I need to go on a 30 min walk in the neighborhood and enjoy the fresh air. Some days, all I have is 5 minutes, so I light a candle and recollect my thoughts and just breathe. Take it one day at a time, but don’t forget to make sure to check in with your body and mind and see how you’re doing through all of this.

Plan out the day but be realistic!

I’m a big planner. Pre-quarantine, I would plan out my day, its tasks and how long it takes to perform each task down to the minute. Sometimes, I planned for the next 2 weeks. Now, life is hectic and I feel like there are a lot of things I can’t control. So I learned to accept that planning things down to the minute for 2 weeks out isn’t quite possible anymore.

However, what I find helpful is writing out 3 tasks for the day that absolutely need to be done. Could be a house chore, could be work related. And put them on top of my list to get them done.

You can take advantage of little one’s nap time and schedule those important tasks around it. Or when my husband gets home from work, I know I can get help with Lucy to do what I need to do. If you’re out of ideas to find some time to focus, try an electronic device again (see above).

I know these tips don’t necessarily apply to everyone’s circumstances, but I hope you can find at least one that is helpful. Or find a litte bit of joy in reading this post. This pandemic is affecting everyone right now, big or little. We all are just trying to navigate through this life together. And I also want to take a moment to remind everyone to please be kind, considerate and know that everyone is doing their best. I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy. And you got this, we all got this! We’re all going to be okay!

My outfit details: Smocked neck shift dress (on sale) | Black heels | Watch strap (only $13) | Earrings | Monogram mug

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This post was featured on Links à la Mode fashion roundup by Independent Fashion Bloggers.

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Lifestyle quarantine work from home